Not Only Powder: How Innovation, Impact, and Lifestyle Shape Sustainable Eating

Fioni Fong is the co-founder of Not Only Powder (nop), a company dedicated to transforming expiring and imperfect fruits into healthy, sustainable, and convenient products. Driven by a mission to reduce food waste and promote creative, eco-conscious living, Fioni and her team combine innovative freeze-drying technology with advanced supply chain management to preserve nutrition and extend fruit shelf life. Through nop, every bite not only nourishes the consumer but also contributes to a more sustainable planet. DeliveryRank has the pleasure of chatting with Fioni.

Not Only Powder uses imperfect (or “ugly”) fruits and superfoods for many of its products, especially powders and crisps. How do you maintain food safety and consistent flavor/nutrient quality when sourcing fruit that doesn’t meet typical cosmetic standards?

When we talk about separating and handling imperfect fruits, there are really two major considerations: safety and flavour.

As a startup, we decided early on to focus first on the non-technical challenges, especially around collection and logistics. We source our imperfect fruits from two main types of suppliers: F&B manufacturers and wet markets. Each requires a slightly different handling process.

For wet markets, for instance, we handle the collection ourselves. This means we need to determine what type of vehicles are appropriate—whether we require refrigerated trucks or if standard logistics vehicles are sufficient. If the fruits are already cut into pieces, we must be especially cautious about contamination, as the lack of refrigeration could pose a risk. Typically, for wet market collections, we rely on local logistics providers with vehicles suitable for short-distance transport.

With F&B suppliers, there are two scenarios. In some cases, they already have their own frozen logistics systems and can send the fruits directly to us. In others, we handle the transportation ourselves. Often, these fruits are already partially processed, so our team must inspect them carefully at the collection point for any signs of spoilage or contamination—and sometimes again upon arrival at our facility.

We have strict SOPs in place for washing, cleaning, and sanitizing all incoming fruits before processing. All our staff receive hygiene training to ensure food safety standards are consistently maintained. Because we collect from multiple sources—and often from various market locations—it’s crucial that every batch we accept meets our quality standards.

After production, we send our final products to SGS for testing to verify the absence of mold, contamination, or other safety concerns, and to confirm nutritional content. Traceability is extremely important to us; we document every step meticulously so we can track each batch from source to final product.

On the technology side, we’ve begun leveraging AI-based tools to improve quality assessment. Right now, the system functions through a mobile app that helps us evaluate specific parameters such as fruit size, shape, and surface condition—identifying visible defects or minor scratches that might impact usability. For major defects or contamination, the tool can flag potential issues quite efficiently, though I would say it’s not yet 100% accurate. There’s still room for improvement as we continue refining this part of our operation.

The brand highlights its freeze-dry process, claiming it retains at least 97% of nutritional value compared to other drying methods. Could you walk us through your freeze-drying workflow, and how you ensure that nutrient retention while keeping costs manageable?

Our production flow is actually quite simple compared to many other manufacturing processes. Once we collect the fruits from our various partners, the first step is cutting them into smaller pieces. This is essential because during the freeze-drying process, we can’t just place whole fruits into the machine—they need to be portioned appropriately, both in terms of size and thickness. Typically, we cut them into slices between 1 and 2 centimeters thick. This not only ensures even drying but also allows us to visually inspect the pieces for any remaining defects that might only affect appearance.

After cutting, the fruits go directly into our freeze-drying machines. To explain it simply, most traditional drying methods use heat—but heat can damage a fruit’s natural structure, flavor, aroma, and nutrients. In contrast, freeze-drying uses very low temperatures, typically between –40°C and –60°C, to preserve all of these qualities.

Here’s how it works: when the fruits are frozen, all the water inside them turns to ice. Then, under vacuum and low-pressure conditions, that ice doesn’t melt into liquid—it sublimates, meaning it transforms directly from solid to vapor. This is how we can remove moisture while preserving the fruit’s structure, color, and nutritional integrity.

By the end of the process, we remove up to 97% of the water content, leaving less than 3% moisture by weight. This gentle yet highly effective drying method is what allows us to maintain the nutritional value, flavor, and freshness of the fruit without using any additives or preservatives.

Your product line includes plant-based, gluten-free, no artificial colors/flavors/sugars, etc. In terms of formulation and supply chain, what challenges do you face achieving those standards, particularly when scaling up production?

Because we don’t use any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, creating products that taste great can sometimes be quite challenging. If you look at many commercial smoothie powders or crisps on the market, they often contain added sugars or oils to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life. Some even use frying methods to enhance taste and crunch.

For us, the challenge lies in finding the right balance—we want our products to taste delicious, yet stay true to our natural, clean-label philosophy. That’s why we rely on freeze-drying, which helps extend the shelf life naturally while maintaining the original nutritional value and freshness. On average, our products stay fresh for at least one year, though with proper storage in a low-moisture environment, they can last up to five years.

Another challenge we often face is product innovation. We’re constantly exploring new ideas, but we have to ensure that any improvements or new product concepts align with our brand’s DNA—which centers around organic integrity, nutritional value, and minimal processing. Even when we aim to create more trendy or flavor-forward options, we’re always guided by the question: Does this still reflect who we are and what we stand for?

Not Only Powder offers convenient nutrition with options like smoothie powder blends, crisps, and on-the-go snacks. How do you approach balancing convenience and health — e.g. taste, texture, convenience vs. preserving integrity of nutrients?

For us, taste and usability go hand in hand—they’re equally important. When developing our products, we pay close attention to both. Take our crisps, for example. We’ve designed them to be incredibly light and crunchy, offering a satisfying snacking experience without the heaviness often found in traditional snacks.

From the product itself to the packaging, we always consider the consumer’s real pain points. Many people find snacks bulky or inconvenient to carry, especially when traveling. But since our products are freeze-dried, they contain 97% less moisture, making them extremely lightweight. This not only makes them easy to transport but also reduces shipping costs and environmental impact.

Beyond convenience, we focus strongly on health and versatility. Our products can be enjoyed straight out of the pack or used in many ways—added to smoothies, breakfast bowls, yogurt, or even desserts like ice cream (though we admit that’s a slightly less healthy indulgence!). The goal is to create products that fit seamlessly into people’s everyday lives—snacks that are not only nutritious and convenient but also align with modern, on-the-go lifestyles.

From an industry perspective: as more brands focus on sustainability, clean ingredients, and upcycled food, how do you see Not Only Powder positioning itself to remain competitive? 

That’s a great question, and it’s something we’ve been thinking about since the very beginning. To be honest, the food and beverage sector is extremely competitive, especially when it comes to sustainability-focused products. But we’ve never aimed to simply sell a product—we want to deliver value and purpose behind everything we do.

Of course, we talk about reducing food waste, but sustainability alone isn’t always a topic that resonates with a broad audience. That’s why we focus on a strong brand story. Supporting our products isn’t just about environmental impact—it’s also about empowering young mothers, supporting minorities, and creating social value. In other words, while we emphasize the “E” in ESG, we equally focus on the “S.” When someone buys our products, they’re contributing to both environmental and social impact.

We also place huge emphasis on usability and lifestyle adoption. For example, we’ve designed mobile freeze-drying machines that hotels and partners in Hong Kong are now using. These machines not only allow us to produce sustainable, upcycled food more efficiently, but they also make it easier for others to adopt these practices—whether in hospitality, co-living, or coworking spaces. Just as people use coffee machines daily, they can now contribute to reducing food waste seamlessly.

So while sustainable, upcycled food is a key part of what we offer, our vision is much bigger. We combine product innovation, service solutions, and meaningful impact, and we aim to communicate these values clearly to our audience.

If you would like to find out more about Not Only Powder, please visit https://www.notonlypowder.co/